a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Bits from Training Camp

Two.Quin Snyder on what’s the most important thing in the first few days of camp: Our habits…It’s been the case, you know, for a couple years now. And hopefully they’re further along, but we can’t do anything without those. And I don’t care how talented, how long, how quick, how athletic. If you’re not connected — and that’s what those things do.

The training is the thing that connects you, defensively. And your system helps you do that, ’cause it creates clarity. But that’s where it’s at, you know? And we gotta work on them and grind on them until they’re at the level that I want them. …

I want to rebound better. You know, I wanna defensive-rebound better. And there’s some things that, you know, we’ve spent a lot of time looking at film, and analyzing that, and figuring out ways that we can do that better, particularly at the end of games. You know, that would be one thing.

You know, we’re gonna play more pick and roll in transition. You know, I think that makes sense with some of the different personnel that we have at the point and the four too. So, I’d like to see that system evolve.

Snyder, asked how he’s evolved as a coach: I know how to get to arena…More importantly, when I get to the arena I know how to find the locker room. Which, if it’s not a basketball game, I still have no idea where I am. I tried to go to a [Coldplay] concert, and I got lost.

Three.Dante Exum on what he learned sitting with the coaches during games last season: I learnt a lot. You know, I think the most important thing was, you know, in terms of running a team.

Just being next to a coach and you know, them coming down running a play, I get to see what Quin’s doing when he’s, you know, turning behind the coaches and what plays they’re trying to run, and just the style of play they’re trying to, you know, put out on the floor.

So, you know, as much as I can learn that and put that on my head, I don’t need to look to the coaches when I’m out on the floor.

Four. Speaking of Dante Exum:

Dennis Lindsey, asked if Joe Ingles is too mean to Exum: It’s the big brother, little brother deal. I don’t think it helps that Dante had Joe’s picture up as a young player and [Ingles] was his idol. I think Joe totally takes advantage of being Dante’s idol in his youth. So, there’s no question there’s some mean-spirited antics going on.

Bonus Lindsey quote on Exum: This should be his junior year in college.

Five.Joe Johnson on what the team is working on: Just, you know, talking and communicating on both ends of the floor. I think that’s the biggest key at this point. You know, I think we got a lotta guys that are pretty reserved, and you know, kinda quiet. So, we tryna bring the innerness out of them.

Six.Gordon Hayward on getting through the monotony of two-a-days: You know, when I was a rookie, Raja Bell told me, “You gotta turn the pro switch on. You just gotta turn it on and go to work.” So, you know, you’re here for two hours, whatever it is, three hours. You just gotta turn it on and just focus, try to focus for those [hours]. And you know, when you do that, usually it takes care of itself.

Seven. This makes me want to Crying Jordan myself:

Jason Kidd on having John Stockton at camp: The way he played, the right way. You couldn’t ask for a better person to learn from.

Malcolm Brogdon: Having him here is really a great opportunity, and I’m just trying to listen. He thinks slowing down, being more patient, and — he calls it “professional patience.” Being very deliberate about your movements, about your cuts, and about the pace at which you play.

Matthew Dellavedova: It’s been awesome listening to him and just being able to talk the game with him. And he’s so passionate about it and has so much knowledge. Just to try to soak up as much of that as possible has been great.

Eight.Quin Snyder, asked if the team has talked further about the social injustice movement with the first game coming up: You know, the important thing, I think, to our team is, that, the recognition that, you know, there has to be a collective effort, and awareness, to make progress…

I think the context is important. An–I, you know, I think you can be reverent and respectful of the flag and also sensitive and aware that there are things in this n–country that have to improve; you know, race relations being one of them.

So, it’s something that, you know, our guys, we, everyone can handle and talk about individually. I think everybody’s got an opinion and a perspective. And it’s not something I want to get into, kind of, analyzing beyond that.

If a guy wants to express himself —

Like I said, it’s not something I’m gonna get into analyzing beyond that. I, we were, you were trying to create a hypothetical situation and there isn’t one for us right now.

Nine. Brought to you by the Jazz’s flagship radio station…

PK to Joe Ingles: A guy from Australia who runs around bopping with kangaroos is making fun of what I wear…Do I go to Australia and make fun of the natives down there? No, Joe. You’re still a guest in our country, buddy…I’m telling you, if Trump gets elected, I’m gonna build a wall around Australia.

Ten.Unintentional Dirty Quote Machines of the Week (UDQM)**George Hill on Gordon Hayward: He’s just a big, you know, he’s kinda like a, our cherry on top of the ice cream. So, you know, we have to be the whipped cream and the shake. So, he’s the top.**Hill on the first practice: I don’t think we’re at a point now where we need to just be banging each other all around.**Quin Snyder on Joe Johnson’s defense: Joe showed us something…and I knew he, we would. I’ve been teasing him about him. He’s been giving me a hard time. But it’s nice when you got a veteran guy like that that embraces everything that you want.**Snyder on getting to know Derrick Favors: You know, it hasn’t, like, been hard for me with Fav. It’s just, usually there’s a process.**David Locke on the 25-free-throws-in-a-row bell at the practice facility: How was ringing the bell?Favors: It was great. It was my first time doing it. It was great.**Boris Diaw on his fading athleticism: Well, I got some, but usually you see, like, twice a month, maybe?**Joe Ingles on his wife flying over from Australia with their twins: Yeah, she’s just doing it by herself. She’ll be all right. No, no, no. Her mum’s coming.**Dante Exum on the high school scrimmage: Hopefully, we made some Jazz fans tonight.**Snyder on his impressions of the scrimmage: Well, we were excited, and that got us going fast…I think when guys feel like, hey, we’ve been practicing and practicing, and i–and now it’s — you know, it’s like getting your ticket punched. You get to, you know, go on the ride.